Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-12-24

OF 'em by var yesterday-drownded out uI
the river-and kinder thought o. Johnny
and how he'd miss 'em! Maybe now, we'd
be in the way of be wus sick!"
The father, evidently touched not only by
this pathetic picture of Johnny's deprivation
but by the considerate delicacy of the speaker,
FASTENED to assure him that Johnny was better
and that a 'little fun might 'liven him up. y
Whereupon Dick arose, shook himself, and
saying, "I'm ready. Lead the way, Old Man
here goes" himself led the way with leap,
characteristic howl, and darted out into the
night As he passed through the outer room
he caught up blazing brand from the hearth.
The action was repeated by the rest of the
party, closely following and elbowing each
other, and before the astonished proprietor Of
Thompson's grocery was aware of the inten-
ton of his guests, the room was deserted.
The night was pitchy dark. In the first
gust Of wind their temporary torches were
extinguished, and only the red brands dane
ing and fitting in the gloom like drunken
will-'o-the-wisps indicated their whereabouts.
Their way led up Pine Tree canyon at tho
head of which broad, low, bark thatched
cabin burrowed in the mountain side. 1t
was the home of the Old Man, and the on
trance to the tunnel in which ho worked
when he worked at all. Here tho crowd
paused for moment, out Of delicate defer.
cnce to their host, who came up painting in
the rear.
"P'r'aps ye'd better hold on second out
yer, whilst go in and see thet things is all
right said the Old Man, with an indiffer-
4nce he was far from feeling. The sugges-
rion was graciously accepted the door opened
and closed on the host and the crowd lean
ing their backs against the wall and cover
ing under the caves, waited and listened.
For few moments there was no sound but
the dripping of water from the caves, and the
them. Then the men became uneasy, and
whispered suggestion and suspicion passed
from the one to the other. ar reckon she's
caved in his head the first hck!" 'Decoyed
him inter the tunnel and barred him up,
likely" "Got him down and sittin' on him."
"Prob'ly bilin suthin to heave on us; stand
clear the door, boys!" For just then the
latch clicked, the door slowly opened, and a
voice said, "Come in out O. the wet"
The voice was neither that Of the Old Man
nor of his wife. 1t was the voice of q small
boy, its weak treble broken by that prefer
natural hoarseness which only vagabondage
and the habit of premature self ASSERTION can
give. 1t was the face of q small boy that
looked up at theirs-a face that might have
been pretty and even refined but that it was
darkened by evil knowledge from within and
dirt and hard experience from without. He
had a blanket around his shoulders and had
evidently just risen from his bed, Come
in" he repeated land don't make no noise.
The Old Mans in there talking to mar" he
continued, pointing to an adjacent room
which seemed to be kitchen, from which the
Old Mans voice came in deprecating accents.
LET me be-" he added, querulously, to Dick
Bullen, who had caught him up, blanket and
all, and was affecting to toss him into the
fire, ''let go O. mo, you id old fool, dye ye
hears"
Thus adjured, Dick Bullen lowered Johnny
to the ground with smothered laugh. while
the men, entering quietly, ranged themselves
around a long table of rough boards
which occupied the center Of the
room. Johnny then gravely pro-
ceeded to cupboard and brought out several
articles which he deposited on the table.
"Thar's whisky. And crackers And red
herons. And cheese" He took bite of the
latter on his way to the table. "And sugar"
He scooped up a mouthful en- route with
small and very dirty hand. "And terbacker.
Thar's dried appils, too, on the shelf, but l
don't admire 'em. Appils is swellin'. Thar"
he concluded "now wade in, and don't be
afeard. Idon't mind the old woman. She
don't blong to me. S'long."
He had stepped to the threshold Of small
room, scarcely larger than closet. and hold